Folding writing arm



Filed April 20, 1928 Fig I INVENTOR ATTORNEY Mfies u aw? Patented Oct.15, 1929 I NI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD W. CHAPMAN, OF GRANDRAPIDS, MICHIGAN,-ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN SEAT- ING COMPANY, OF GRANDRAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY FOLDING WRITING ARMApplication filed April 20,

which can be readily and quickly moved from its normal usable positionto a position where it will be out of the way and not obstruct thepassageway in front of the seat; toprovide a writing arm which may beposltlvely and securely locked in usable position and the weight of thearm of the user will tend to hold the arm in locked position; and toprovide a writing arm which can be pivotally swung to a position wherebythe major portion of the arm will be housed underneath the seat portionof the chair to which it is attached.

The illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a chair with the improved writing armattached thereto, said writing arm being shown in full lines in itsnormal usable position and by dotted lines in its folded position; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail in perspective showing the writing armtilted edgewise preparatory to being lowered to its folded position. c

As is well understood'in the art, writing arms on chairs ordinarilyprotrude out a considerable distance in front of the seat and obstructthe passageway, to more or less extent, between the seat and the row ofseats in front thereof.

Although desirable to have the writing arm arranged so that it can beswung out of the way, it is very difficult to provide a suitablemounting for the writing arm which will hold it rigidly and steadilywhen in the writing position. i

In the present invention, the writing arm is pivotally mounted on avertically swingable bracket arm so as to be tiltable on an axis atright angles to the axis of the bracket arm and inter-locking releasablesecuring means are provided on the chair seat end and writing arm sothat when the writing arm is in a horizontal plane, it is rigidlysecured 1928. Serial No. 271,454.

in that position but may be readily released by tilting it on itspivotal mounting.

In the construction shown in the drawings,

a chair having the usual back 1 and seat ends 2 and 3 is provided withthe usual seat 4:. A bracket arm 5 is pivotally mounted at 5A to theinside front edge of the chair seat'end 3' so as to be verticallyswingable thereon. The outer end of the bracket arm 5 is provided withspaced bearings 6 and 7 which support a pintle pin 8. p

v writing arm 9 of the usual shape is provided on its underside with astrap 10 securedthereto. by screws or the like 11. The

strap extends transversely across the arm 9 for the purpose of addingrigidity to the arm and prevent splitting thereof. One end of the strap10 is provided with a lug 12 through which the forward end of the pintlepin 8 projects and is thus carried thereby.

The under side of the writing arm 9 is also provided with a bracket 13secured thereto by screws or the like 14. The bracket I 13 is providedwith a pair of depending integrally formed lugs 15 and 16, positioned inspaced relation to each other so as to receive the upstanding trunnion 7therebetween. The lugs 15 and 16 are bored in alignment to receive therear end of the pintle pin 8, thus providing a rotatable or tiltablepivotal connection for the writing arm 9 closely adjacent its outerlongitudinal edge.

Atorsion spring 17 is mounted on the pintle pin 8 between the lug 15 andthe lug 12 of bracket 10. One end of the spring bears against thewriting arm 9 and the other end thereof bears against the bracket 5 fornormally urging the writing arm 9 into a horizontal plane, that is, to aplane disposed at right angles tothe plane of the bracket arm 5'.

Means are provided for detachably or releasably securing the writing arm9 in a horizontal plane, and comprise an upstanding hook 18, integrallyformed at the upper front edge of theseat end 3, and a dependingintegrally formedlug 19 on the inner end of the bracket 18. The lug 19is offset inwardly with respect to the axis of the pivotal mounting ofthe writing arm 9 so that the lug travels in an are when the arm 9 isrotated on its ing and bracket arms are in a vertical posipivotalmounting.

. In the use of this writing arm, the bracket arm 5 is swung upwardlywith the writing my hand at Grand Rapids, Michigan, this 17th arm 9 heldin an edgewise position, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. After beingraised to this position, the arm 9 is rocked on its pintle 8 to ahorizontal plane, thus causing the lug 19 to engage back of the hook 18thereby rigidly securing the arm 9 in a usable horizontal position.

The hook 18 being curved inwardly from the seat end 3, any weight placedupon the writing arm when in use tends to hold the lug and hook securelyin interlocked relation.

l/Vhen it is desired to fold the Writing an 9 out of the way, the inneredge thereof is grasped and the arm rocked up-edgewise on its pintle pin8. This rocking movement of the arm disengages the lug 19 from the hook18 and permits the bracket arm 5 and writing arm 9 to be swungdownwardly through a Vertical plane until the arm 9 is below the seat 4:of the chair to which it is attached. At this time the arm 9 is releasedand the torsion spring 17 causes the arm 9 to rotate on its pivotalconnection to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In thismanner, the major portion of the writing arm 9 is housed underneath theseat 4 out of the users way.

When it is again desired to use the writing arm, it is first rotated aquarter turn on its pivot, thus bringing the arm into a plane parallelwith the plane of the bracket 5. The bracket arm is then raised to theposition 7 shown in full lines in Fig. 1, at which time the writing arm9 is again rocked back on its pivotal connection, aided by the torsionspring 17 to cause the lug 19 to again engage with the upstanding hook18.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinshown and de scribed, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the folallel with the plane ofthe bracket 5. The lowing claim.

The combination with a chair having a back, seat end and a seat, of abracket arm pivoted to said seat end so as to be vertically swingablefrom a horizontal to a vertical position, a writing arm movably mountedon said bracket arm and swingable therewith c0- operating means onsaidseat end and writing arm for releasably securing said writing arm ina horizontal plane, said releasable securing means being controlled bythe movement of said writing arm relative to said bracket arm and atorsion spring bearing between said bracket arm and said writing arm forrotating said writing arm inwardly toward and substan ially, under saidseat when said writ.--

tion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto se day of April, 1928. o

EDWARD W. CHAPMAN.

